Operation: Gaudium
by Mikashimotaku
Summary: "Don't you want to feel alive?" I do. For so long, I've wanted to. But then, I never knew how. Everything in my life has started to turn tasteless. Even knowledge itself isn't satisfying anymore. It's almost like living a dead life. I turn around very slowly, "You can do that?" R&R.


**Hello TAS fans. My name is Mikashimotaku.**

**Do you remember me? Probably not.**

**I wrote this really bad story called 'Marc Unexpected' back in the day. Lol, it was about 2 years ago in 2011. It sucks. So please don't go back and read it. It haunts me. So basically, I haven't been back here in a long time because my main fandom is Yumeiro Patissiere, my favourite anime. But I was sitting in front of my computer, searching for TAS, because as far as I know, it's been whipped off the face of television forever. No such luck as to finding anything that might contribute to if it's over, on hiatus or what. Oh well, I had the need to write a fanfiction. Because, it's to fill my emptiness of missing this cartoon. Call me crazy. I don't know how often I can update this, but I can try. It could take forever, so... In advance, I'm sorry. But if no one likes this either, I won't continue. So tell me what you think!**

**I do not own The Amazing Spiez. It belongs to Marathon! :)**

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Operation: Gaudium 

Chapter 1: To Feel Alive

It has teeth bigger than Aunt Trudy's. This thing is positively massive. I'm not sure what we're going to do about this monster terrorizing the city, and it seems as though none of my siblings know either. From the corner of my eye, I see a flash of yellow going toward the monster's right eye.

_Reckless move Tony, _I think to myself, _you've just flown into dangerous territory. _

Just as I had suspected, the monster slaps Tony away with its freakishly long green tentacles. He screams as he is flung into the nearest building, Megan flying forward to help him. I look to my oldest brother, wearing his bright red spy suit and that dangerous look on his face. "What are we going to do Lee?" I call to him tentatively. His face shows one of thought and recklessness at the same time. It was one of those times you had to be careful when breaking his concentration.

"We can't beat it with brute strength," Lee replies finally, "I know that much."

Megan and Tony flew to be beside us, "Well how else can we do this?" Tony grumbles, still sore from crashing into a building.

I smile, "We outsmart it of course. Come on!" I beckon them all to come closer and whisper my plans to them. Megan is the first to agree with me, followed by Tony and finally reluctant Lee. Megan herself power charges her rocket boots and flies sky high to get the monster's attention.

"Hey ugly! Over here!" She calls from high above. It tilts it's head up, to get a good look at her. Perplexed for a moment and blinded by the sun in its eye.

"Hey you can't get me!" I call as well, from behind the tentacle monster. It cranes it's neck backward to look at me, more confused now, then ever. Roaring, it squirmed its way toward me. Megan calls at it again, causing it to turn to her as well.

I yell a threat at it, so he turns once again. It's quite obvious it's getting dizzy looking both ways so many times. It's head sways a little, before I yell, "Lee! Tony! NOW!"

From the ground, Lee and Tony release their bungee belts and wrap the monster's many tentacles again and again and pull down. With a great cry, the monster slips from its standing stance to flat on the ground. Defeated. It seems as though we've saved the city once again.

Megan and I land beside Lee and Tony, who are grinning wild. "We did it!" Tony cheers.

"No thanks to boy genius here," Lee agrees, pointing his thumb toward me.

"You're so clever Marc," Megan giggles.

Yes that's me. Marc Clark, the boy genius. If only I could say I was more.

XxXxX

It seems as though life repeated itself over and over again. School, missions, home, every single day. It's like a never ending laundry cycle, going on and on until everything was just faded and old. I think about different ways I could make my life more exciting, but then again, who am I to complain? I'm a thirteen year old spy, what could be more exciting than that? Nothing, but obviously it wasn't enough.

As we walk to school on a dreary Monday morning, I contemplate these things. I do have the tendency to over think many things. It had just rained this morning, making the morning even worse than it had to be. The sky is still a life-sucking gray, the sidewalk is wet, trees showering us with leftover raindrops, as if they were crying all over. I lift my hood over my head, trying to shelter my head from their sad massacre.

"Today's so ugly!" Megan finally exclaims, speaking my own thoughts.

"Agreed," Lee says, "Ever since that tentacle thing, things have just been going downhill."

I want to point out that things had been going downhill for quite a longer time, but I don't think it's the right thing to say.

Tony chimes in, "I hope it looks up soon, all the bad weather is pulling me down."

I feel all their gazes fall onto me, feeling almost like the strength of a pressure cooker, "What do you think Marc?" Megan asks. It occurs to me that I haven't said anything.

"I guess," I shrug.

"You okay?" Lee asks finally. Usually I would say something scientific as to why the weather was so weird, or some other geeky thing. Today though, it doesn't feel as though I need to say anything. I'm not in the mood.

"Fine. I guess," I reply again, using the same sentence, with only slight variation.

No one says a word to me after that. Idly talking about the missions we might have that day or what kind of disgusting thing they might serve in the cafeteria. Me? I just stare at my shoes the whole time. I feel very down, yet there is no reason for it.

The morning had nothing interesting to it; classes, note taking, studying, not much variation from any other day of my life. At lunch, I meet up with my siblings in the cafeteria. They are all talking about something I haven't heard about.

"Did you see them?" Megan whispers sharply, glancing around to see if anyone was listening.

"See what?" I ask cautiously. A lot of the time, Megan only speaks of girl gossip and once she got started, there was no end, much to me and my brother's dismay.

"You didn't hear?" Megan exclaims, aghast, "there were people in the office, demanding to be let in. The office wouldn't let them though."

I think about it. "Who were they?" I ask, my interest peaking.

"I don't know, I didn't see them myself," Megan replies finally, "But I heard it from the girl who sits beside me in English class, who heard it from..."

So it's just more girl gossip. "Oh, I thought it might have been real." I pick at the food I've set in front of me, my interest slowly dying.

Megan looks at me incredulously, "Marc, you've been pretty awful as of lately."

I look up at her, raising my eyebrow at her, "What makes you think that?"

"You're such a downer!" She exclaims, "For a while now, you've never seemed to be interested in anything. You're such a kill joy."

Those words hurt for sure. I'm kind of in the middle of a fight with my boring life at the moment, and all she can think about is me being a kill joy? "Well, sorry about it then," I reply surly, "Not my fault that life's been a total drag recently."

Megan sighs, "That's because you shoot down anything exciting, don't you get it? You're making your own life boring!"

I've had enough trying to deal with my siblings. They just don't understand how it must feel to be me. I'm not the most exciting person in the world, but that doesn't mean it's my fault. Right? "It's obvious you don't want me here Megan, might as well just say it."

Lee stands up, "Now hold on a second..."

I'm not going to hold on for a second. For once in my life, I'm going to do something without thinking about it first, "No. I'm leaving. I need to be by myself."

And then I stand up and stalk away. I've never done that before. I usually try to fix problems and all of a sudden I'm running from them. "Marc!" Tony yells after me, but it's like I block it out. I'm not in the mood to talk, think or do anything for that matter.

I walk to the cafeteria exit where there is a girl leaning against it, almost purposely blocking me off. "Um, excuse me?" I ask her. Honestly, I know it it's being rude. But as of today I haven't really been myself.

She lifts her head, staring at me for a second, "I heard what happened." She says finally. She still doesn't move. I don't want to talk about what's just happened, I want to forget about it.

"Yeah, okay," I say, trying to move her aside, "That's great. Now, if I could..."

"I want to talk to you," She says, startling me.

I'm not in the mood for talking, doesn't anyone get it? "No," I say bluntly.

"Just for a second," She looks around before getting iron grip on my arm, which surprises me, "Come along."

XxXxX

She drags me off into the courtyard, me protesting the whole time. Eventually I realize it's hopeless. There's no way to break free of her. I'm a spy, this experience is somehow humiliating. She pins me against the basket ball net pole, staring intently at me. "You're not what I expected," She says finally.

"Not what you expected for what?" I ask incredulously.

She let's go of me, beginning to pace. I finally take in what she looks like. She's got these scary icy blue eyes that are so icy they're almost white. Her hair in contrast is raven black, though dip dyed an icy blue that draw my gaze back to her eyes which intimidate me all over again. Her skin is very pale too, for a split second I think she might be a vampire, but shake it off. That idea is stupid.

"I've been told about you," She says nonchalantly, as if she hasn't just dragged me against my will and brought me here, "They say you're starting to lose it."

"They? Who's they?" I ask, a little bit offended, "What am I losing?"

"The ability to find joy in life," She responds, completely ignoring my first question. "Something many people lose in their lives. Including me."

This is getting weirder and weirder. Then it hits me, my siblings always joke about how sensitive and gullible I am, this must be a joke. "Hah, very funny," I say bitterly, "Who put you up to this? Lee? Megan?"

"This isn't a joke Marc," She says, almost harshly, "I swear, I'm serious. Life hasn't been very... Happy for a while, am I right?"

I am silent.

"Thought so," She says, smiling. There's something different about her smile, while she smiles she doesn't seem at all happy. "I'm here to help you."

"Help me? I don't need help thank you," I tell her, "I'm fine by myself." I make the move to leave and she says something that freezes me.

"Don't you want to feel alive?"

I do. For so long, I've wanted to. But then, I never knew how. Everything in my life has started to turn tasteless. Even knowledge itself isn't satisfying anymore. It's almost like living a dead life. I turn around very slowly, "You can do that?" I ask.

"If you'll listen to me," She smirks coyly, "Will you?" She extends her hand toward me.

I stare for a while, before reaching forward and taking her hand. This feeling shoots through, almost like a warning, but I ignore it. "Sure." I answer her.

"My name is Alexia," She says slowly, "Trust me; you will not regret this Marc." Then she squeezes my hand tighter. Lastly she whispers, "Don't tell anyone about this."

XxXxX

What had she said to make me agree to something like that? I still don't know. She leaves me after that, I'm by myself, left to think about what I had just done. I don't even know who she is, let alone what she's going to do.

And then seemingly out of nowhere, a huge metal tube emerges from the garbage can near the basket ball court, snaking toward me and sucking me up. I no longer scream from being summoned by WOOHP, it's so normal to me now. Yet another reminder of my slowly dragging life.

I land on the hard velvet couch much like normal, my siblings already there, staring at me. The fight we had floods back into my mind. "Oh, look who decided to show," Megan says. I can sense the sarcasm.

I turn away from them and at Jerry, who sits at his desk, obviously noticing the tension, "Spies. I have an alarming mission for you." He says quite solemnly. Pressing a button on his desk, a picture of a little girl appears on screen. She can't be any older than 6 years old. Her blonde hair is pulled tight into two high pig tails and she smiles brightly in the picture. Childhood innocence.

"This girl was reported missing as of yesterday night," Jerry says, staring at the picture, "Such a young girl, your mission today is to try and find her. The police have closed her house for investigation, you must look as well."

With that, he seems to dismiss us, "I have no gadgets for you today spies, use what you already have and do the best you can." Tapping another button on the screen, the wall behind him moves away to reveal the WOOHP jet, "Off you go."

We all run toward it and get inside. Lee, as usual, takes his spot in the pilot seat and shoots us up into the air. The tension is quite obvious. No one says anything unless it's necessary. Megan has taken the position of co-pilot which usually belongs to me.

After a while, we land in front of the investigation scene. Yellow tape surrounds the house, scaring off trespassers, but not us. We slip under it and enter the house through the open back window. There are no police inside. It seems they have all gone home for the day. It's our turn to figure this out. Activating the eye-tech, I scan the room for something suspicious. Nothing.

The room seems normal for that of a small girl. Light pink painted walls, toy chest overflowing with stuffed animals and dress up clothing, her small bed made perfectly, the pink lace blankets tucked and smoothed.

Tony gets on his knees to look under the bed; all he discovers is dust and lint. "There can't be nothing," Megan says finally, frustrated, "We have to look where the police wouldn't think."

Lee throws open the closet, greeted with different little girl clothing. Nothing. Everything in the room looks perfect. It occurs to me it's a little too perfect, like a cover up.

Everything is in order. No little girl keeps their room like this unless they're an absolute neat freak. The first thing that strikes me is the made bed. Wasn't she kidnapped in the night? I would guess she was sleeping. How could her bed have been made? My siblings watch me as I pull the sheets back.

My hunch is right. Under the thick comforter is some sort of strange residue. It looks almost like dust and liquid at the same time, it is powder blue and I reach out to touch it. It's so intriguing.

"Marc, stop it!" Lee yells, right before my fingers brush over it, "It could be dangerous."

What am I thinking? It obviously could be dangerous. I take a vile from my belt and carefully prod some of the liquid dust into it with a pair of tweezers. Capping the vile off, I swirl it around. Again, this substance appears to be liquid, yet contains many aspects of a dust. "What is that stuff?" Tony finally asks.

"I have no idea," Megan replies, "But we can't let the police find something like this. They'll freak out."

"Right," Lee nods, coming up toward me. He collects the rest of it until there is no trace left, "There, we've got it all. We can give it to Jerry for analysis."

I'm still mystified by it, but I seem to be the only one. I slip the vile back into my belt. For some reason, it's presence is comforting. We continue looking around the room. "Look at this," Lee finally freaks the silence. In the dust on the window sill there is a partial finger print. He leans in closely and scans it with the MPCOM. The print appears on the screen, "This could lead us to the person behind this."

We scourge the room more, but there is nothing more to find. I remake the bed. The room looks untouched. Silently, we slip back out the window just before the night police come in.

XxXxX

After giving Jerry the clues we've found for analysis, he sends us home. I can feel all my siblings staring at me as I walk. But I don't say anything. Let them be the ones to ask me.

"Marc..." Megan is the first to break. She usually is. After all, she's my twin sister. "Where did you go at lunch today?"

I remember Alexia's words. I can't tell anyone. I wonder if she took into account family members. "Nowhere," I lie, which is very unlike me, "I just went outside and sat there until we got WOOHPED."

"Oh," She says softly, "Um... About today, I'm sorry for being so mean."

I stare at her, the expression on her face is sincere. "Okay," I say, but nothing more. The rest of the day passes uneventfully. At night I lie in bed, still thinking about all that has happened today. Tony is asleep, snoring from his own bed, and yet I can't sleep. I think of Alexia, mysterious and promising to make me feel alive. What could she possibly do? Then I think of the little girl, and that crazy liquid dust. So much has happened today.

It's another hour before I can feel myself starting to fall away into sleep but then there's a tap on my window, and it startles me so much I shoot up into a sitting position. I'm slightly frightened by what I see. Alexia is tapping on my window.

I look at Tony, who shifts a little, but doesn't wake up. I stare at her, panicked, and point to Tony. She nods before gesturing me to come to her. I slip out of bed and cross the room slowly, my footsteps not making a sound on the floor beneath me. Pushing the window up, I whisper sharply to Alexia, "What are you doing here?"

"I am here to make you feel alive, am I not?" She asks simply, "Come along." I look out the window. She's brought herself a ladder and is standing on it.

"You could get in so much trouble for something like this," I tell her, "Same with me."

"I assure you Marc, nothing will happen," She begins climbing down the ladder, "Are you coming or not?"

I can't believe I listen, but I climb out the window and down the ladder with her. I'm sneaking out of the house. But this time, it's not for a mission.

XxXxX

Alexia hides the ladder in the bushes in the backyard so I'll be able to get back upstairs later. She leads me out onto the street, it's dead silent in the night, eerie in the moonlight. After only a few moments in the main street, she pulls me into an alley. It's damp and cold; I wish I brought something more than what I was wearing to sleep. We take twists and turns, after a while, I have no idea where we've gone, if I were to turn back and try to get out, I'd be lost.

And finally, Alexia stops at a little door with a small window at the top. A little glow of golden light shines from it, indicating someone is inside. She knocks. The door is made of wood, and echoes hollowly. I shiver, not sure if it is from the cold or fear. "Who's there?" Someone says.

"It's Lexi," Alexia says. There is silence on the other side of the door. "Just open the door Letta!" She snaps finally and the door sings open. Alexia walks inside and I can do nothing but follow. The door closes behind me, making me jump a little.

"A little jumpy I see." I turn around, another girl. She's much like Alexia, but I can tell they aren't related. She has blonde hair so blonde, it's almost white with a dip dye like Alexia, except blood red. She has dark brown eyes and stares at me intently, "You sure this is the one?"

Alexia scoffs, "I thought the same thing. But apparently so."

The blonde girl smirks, "My name is Scarlett; it is nice to meet you... Marc." I wonder how she knows my name. Maybe Alexia has told her about me.

"Um... Hello," I say awkwardly. Both girls are very intimidating. I'm not used to the company of those sort of people.

"Guys give it a break," Another says, "Can't you tell you're scaring him?" To my relief, the person deeper into the room is a guy. I don't think I'd be able to stand being with two scary girls. Yeah, call me a coward, whatever. He looks older then they are, maybe by a year. He shows strong similarities to Alexia, so I assume he's her brother.

"Sorry Liam," Scarlett rolls her eyes, directing her attention back to me, she says, "It's so nice that you could be here."

"Y-yeah," I reply. I'm starting to have a bad feeling about this. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to do anything Alexia had said. Maybe I should haven snuck out. Maybe...

"Stop doubting your decisions Marc," Alexia says, cutting into my thoughts. Can she read my mind? No, it must be my expression. I've always been told I'm like an open book.

"I'm not," I say, trying to sound stronger than I am.

Liam laughs, "Hah! We've got someone who'd like to be a fighter." He looks me over, "I like you kid."

They lead me deeper into the little room. I have to admit, it looks a lot more cozy than it does on the outside. The lamps around the room give the room a sort of golden orange hue, which is always inviting. There are five individual couch seats, surrounding a small pentagon coffee table that has a mug of tea and a couple of magazines on it. "Take a seat," Alexia says, before I can say anything, she kind of sits me down herself. I'm sitting in the seat at the back that looks at the point of the pentagon. Alexia and Scarlett sit on my either side, Liam beside Alexia. I stare at the empty seat across from me, "Who usually sits there?" I ask.

Scarlett laughs, "Hm, someone you'll meet eventually."

I don't know whether to be disappointed or relieved. "So Marc, I'm so glad you decided to join us," Alexia says. Join? I didn't realize I was joining anything.

"Why am I here?" I finally ask.

"To feel alive," Scarlett licks her lips, "Am I right?"

I don't feel alive. More like scared to death. It feels like the opposite of what I had wanted. "Don't worry, you may be scared now, but you'll get feel better after this." I'm honestly starting to think Alexia can read my mind.

She reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a little glass container. It swirls with a glowing aqua liquid. She uncaps it and suddenly the atmosphere seems even more comfortable than before. I hear the laugh that sounds of such from a small child. Alexia smiles at me, "Are you happy Marc?" She asks.

I feel like I'm floating on air, just what is that stuff in the container? She drops a little into the mug of tea on the table. Literally, just a little, a tiny little drop that just seems to vanish as it hits the surface of the tea. Alexia takes it and sips. I see a sparkle in her eye. "I'm... Happy." I say finally, to answer her question.

Scarlett gets up and leaves the room through the door to our right. She comes back balancing three more mugs on a tray. She places one in front of me, the steam from the tea rising and tickling my cheeks. The other goes to Liam and she keeps the last one for herself.

Alexia slips a little of that mysterious aqua liquid into my drink, smiling the whole time. She seems so happy, quite the contrast from a while ago. A drop goes into Scarlett and Liam's drinks. They all drink, a sparkle appearing in their eyes as well. I stare at the tea. The atmosphere has already lifted my spirits considerably, but what could this be? I'm wary to drink it.

"It's safe Marc," Alexia says, once again reading my thoughts. "Go on." I take hold of the mug, feeling it's warmth tickle my cold skin. I hadn't realized how freezing I was until now. I hold the mug to my lips before finally taking a sip. As the tea washes over my mouth, I suddenly feel even more elated then I had previously. My eyes shoot open wide and I smile. I just feel so... Amazing.

"What is this stuff?" I ask contently, happily leaning back.

Alexia grins at me, "We'll tell you soon, when we know you better. But I promise you, this isn't a drug or anything, this does nothing but good for you."

Scarlett nods, "We'll see you tomorrow, okay? By then, the effects will have worn off and you'll need more."

I nod deliriously. Yes. This is what I've missed for the longest time. To feel happy and alive. Alexia guides me out of my seat, "I'll get you tomorrow night, alright?"

"Yeah," I murmur absently. And then suddenly I seem to be back in my backyard, Alexia propping the ladder against the house to my window. I don't remember walking back. That's weird. But I'm certainly cold, so I must have. I climb up the ladder and open the window. Slipping back inside, I go back into bed, almost as if nothing had happened. Alexia smiles and waves good bye to me and shuts the window and disappears down the ladder. I fall asleep feeling better than I ever have in a long time.

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**So, what do you think? Was it any good? Did I rush anything? Did I introduce too many characters? I'd love feedback, so feel free to say anything. (I just hope it's not too harsh ^-^") **

**Please review!**

**Thanks for reading,**

**Mikashimotaku :)**


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